NewswireToday - /newswire/ -
Huntington Beach, CA, United States, 2010/09/21 - BrightCom discusses how telepresence robotics and software based video conferencing can be applied to high risk jobs to help reduce the risk of life threatening situations.

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While many businesses leverage telepresence today to join people together around the same table, other jobs or events can utilize telepresence via robotics and immersive environments to help people be present in dangerous or life threatening environments.

For example, the recent collapse of the San Jose Mine and entrapment of 33 men near the city of Copiapo in Peru demonstrates a potential need for remote telepresence applications in high risk jobs and situations. Remote controlled mining operations or other high risk processes can replace manual labor and circumvent risk of endangerment to human lives. Additionally, robots have the potential to go faster and further into areas where humans cannot reach as well as refine processes and consequently collect more data.

Telepresence robotics was defined in the 1980s by Marvin Minsky as he described a situation in which using mechanical hands allowed one to “"work" in another room, in another city, in another country, or on another planet. Your remote presence possesses the strength of a giant or the delicacy of a surgeon. Heat or pain is translated into informative but tolerable sensation. Your dangerous job becomes safe and pleasant.”

Today, telepresence robotics have evolved from mechanical hands to a more complete human like interface allowing people to communicate and collaborate on data via remote controlled humanoid robots integrated with live video conferencing. For example, NASA's Robonaut is built and designed as a humanoid robot to help and work with humans in space exploration and research. Robonaut 2 (R2) is the latest version that is more compact, faster and is built with a wider range of sensing, human like finger dexterity and vision technologies that are controlled by a remote user. With high resolution cameras for “eyes”, the R2 can stream live video to its controller who can then manipulate data or objects the R2 is working with.

Additionally, these systems can easily be linked to telepresence and video conferencing systems around the world. Participants can share, view and collaborate on the live or recorded video data from these robots devices. Together teams and experts can discuss the robot's processes and data in real-time for decision making and brainstorming.

BrightCom, performance leader in integrated telepresence and video conferencing, sees a great potential in integrating telepresence robotics with software based telepresence and video conferencing systems.

Bob McCandless, CEO of BrightCom, states, “The integration of video conferencing and telepresence robotics opens up many opportunities for people to explore, research, and work faster in uninhabitable areas. But the integration of software based systems and telepresence robotics takes the next step, allowing for customized user interfaces as well as integrating the command and control of the robot into the conference system.”

Integration between telepresence robotic devices and software based conferencing systems occurs via standards based SIP connections and standard API for remote control. With these connections, BrightCom’s software based telepresence and video conferencing systems have the potential to add to and augment the built in remote control features.

Mr. McCandless added, “While most conferencing vendors with SIP, H.264 video and MCU infrastructures are able to integrate telepresence robotics, software based conferencing infrastructures, offer a flexibility and scalability that cannot be achieved with traditional firmware/MCU based systems.”

Robotics is another one of the many facets of telepresence and video conferencing solutions pursed by BrightCom. Recently, BrightCom announced a new initiative into real-time telepresence integrated with submersible ROV cameras for underwater research and exploration.

About BrightCom
BrightCom (BrightCom.com) specializes in creating flexible and affordable video and telepresence conferencing solutions. With unique integrated data and video conferencing solutions, BrightCom offers a wide range of options to connect people and content from home offices, mobile devices, desktops or conference rooms.

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